Sometimes I just need a good veggie soup in my system! This recipe is gluten-free and can be made vegan by using vegetable broth. Keep this recipe simple, inexpensive, & quick by just using carrots and celery for your veggies.

Lentils are a healthy and natural meat substitute. They’re high in protein, iron, and magnesium. They are also rich in nutrients, have a hearty texture, and best of all … they’re cheap! Take a minute to google the benefits of lentils and I believe you’ll want to make them a part of your diet.

This recipe makes enough soup for 12-ish people … it feeds my family of 7 dinner plus leaves enough leftovers for lunch the next day. But the recipe can easily be cut in half for a smaller crowd. If you want the soup to have more of a creamy texture, purée some of the soup before serving. Our family enjoys this soup year round {even when it’s super hot outside} because it’s a hearty, healthy meal! Feel free to add other veggies too … zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, kale, etc! Tip: if using a leafy veggie like spinach or kale, add just a few minutes before serving.

I like a lot of lemon juice to add yummy tang to the soup. Start with the juice of one lemon and add more, if desired.

Veggie Lentil Soup

Hearty, healthy, simple & inexpensive soup!

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Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Onion diced
• 4-5 Large Carrots chopped
• 4-6 Ribs of Celery chopped
• 8 Garlic Cloves minced
• 4 tsp Cumin
• 1½ tsp Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 30 oz Diced Canned Tomatoes
• 1 lb Dried Lentils green or brown
• 8-12 cups Chicken or Veggie Broth less broth = thicker soup
• 4 cups Water
• 2 pinches Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1-2 Juiced Lemons

Instructions

 

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion, carrots, and other veggies. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies have softened and the onion is translucent.
• Add the garlic and seasonings. Stir to combine & cook for about 1 minute & then add the canned tomatoes.
• Add the lentils, broth, water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the temperature to allow a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
• If you want to blend a portion of the soup to make a more creamy texture, put a couple cups of soup onto a Vitamix or similar blender. You can also just use an immersion blender directly in the pot of soup and just blend for 30 seconds, or until you reach the creaminess you desire.
• Remove the pot from the heat & add the lemon juice.
• Taste the soup and add more salt, pepper, &/or lemon juice to your liking.
• Serve hot & store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.